The US Department of War and Lockheed Martin have unveiled a framework agreement covering multiyear production and sustainment of the F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft. The proposed arrangement includes 850 aircraft for the United States over 10 years, along with initial spare parts, modification kits and sustainment support. It also covers international customer orders across Lots 21–30, with production continuing at a planned rate of 156 aircraft annually.
The framework is intended to provide greater certainty for aircraft procurement, industrial investment and supply chain planning. The parties will work towards finalising contract terms, pricing and schedules if multiyear procurement authority and the required appropriations are approved in the coming months.
Lockheed Martin said the proposed arrangement could generate savings of billions of dollars over the F-35 programme’s lifecycle through long-term pricing and volume discounts. Combining aircraft procurement with purchases of spare parts and modification kits is expected to improve purchasing efficiency and provide greater cost predictability.
The framework also aims to address readiness and supply chain challenges by providing suppliers with clearer demand forecasts. Long-term procurement planning could support bulk purchasing of raw materials and critical components, reduce turnaround times and ease logistics constraints. The arrangement is also intended to reduce the pressure associated with annual contracting cycles.
Jim Taiclet, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lockheed Martin, said the framework would help the company plan investments in production capacity, operational efficiency and supply chain resilience. He said greater certainty would benefit taxpayers, suppliers, the United States and its allies.
OJ Sanchez, President of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, said the proposed arrangement would give suppliers greater stability to plan and invest. He added that these measures, alongside the company’s existing investments in the global spare parts pool, were intended to improve fleet readiness and repair turnaround times.
The programme is expected to support approximately 317,000 jobs in the United States and generate around $79 billion in annual economic activity over the next decade, according to the announcement. The framework also seeks to improve readiness across international F-35 fleets through common procurement efficiencies, stronger supply networks and improved interoperability among allied operators. Integrated analytics are expected to provide greater visibility into budgets, parts inventories and readiness measures.
More than 1,375 F-35 aircraft are currently in service worldwide, with the fleet having accumulated over one million flight hours. The aircraft operates from 42 bases, including in 13 countries that host F-35 operations on their own soil. Lockheed Martin is a global defence technology company developing systems and technologies for military and government customers. Its business includes aerospace, defence and mission-related solutions.
